With the annual The Freihofer's Run for Women set to take place in Albany this June and swimsuit season approaching, we wanted to hear from an expert on how to keep active and reach fitness goals.

We spoke with Brzezinski, a mother of two, novelist and morning show co-host with Joe Scarborough, to figure out how she finds the time and energy to train for a half-marathon, while juggling her career and family.

Although her schedule is hectic, long-distance running is something she incorporates into her everyday routine. Even if that means attending a business meeting drenched in sweat and worn out from an eight-mile run, Brzezinski will (and has) gone there before.

And she encourages women to do the same. Insisting there are no excuses when it comes to fitness and good health, she says she believes it isn't about perfection, but about trying your best and making the effort to keep fit.

Here is what she had to say on health, fitness and the upcoming race:

Q: What is the significance of participating in an all-women's half-marathon versus a coed half marathon race?

A: I just think there is a unity among women who are trying to get healthy that is very different than a coed marathon. We run differently, and the mind-set is different, and sometimes it is fun to do it this way. I think it is going to be fantastic.

Q: How would you encourage women who may be intimidated by running a half-marathon?

A: Well, I am intimidated. I am actually a big runner, but I have had a hard time getting time to run the past few years, because I work the morning shift, I write books and I have two teenage girls. That is just the beginning, so it has been hard getting 45 minutes, let alone more than that, to get some exercise. And I will tell you, I am not ready for this half marathon, but I am not going to not do it.

It is not about getting an amazing time or winning it, it is about doing it. I may have to walk, I am not sure. I really hope that I run and finish the whole thing. I think that is the reason to do it, to take on a challenge and embrace it.

Q: Who is your support system when training for such a race?

A: My husband gave me some good tips, because he did a full marathon a few years ago and he is a really big runner. Basically though, I have been trying to squeeze in training, and it has been really, really tough.

Q: You are a co-host on the "Morning Joe" show, an accomplished novelist and are a mother of two. How do you find the time to run while juggling a family and your career?

A: Yes, I have pretty much been running six to seven days a week and I just force myself. Sometimes that means, like, I had an event at Goldman Sachs on Monday, it was in the evening. I was on stage with Arianna Huffington, Tory Burch and the COO of Goldman Sachs, Gary Cohn, that evening. I had to be prepared, I had to make an introduction and I had to interview them for an hour and that was after doing the three-hour show in the morning. So I got my hair, my makeup, my eyelashes done, everything for the show in the morning. Then I drove home and I ran eight and a half miles. And then it rained at the end and I had to hold my T-shirt over my head to try to salvage my hair so it would look good on stage. Then, I had to reapply my makeup and throw a dress on my sweaty body and went to the event. And that is called fitting it in.

Q: Can you give women advice on how to fit fitness into their schedules?

A: Don't worry about being perfect every day. And don't worry about going to a meeting completely covered in sweat.

Q: What is your No.1 tip for female runners?

A: Pace yourself. I feel like we are always running and dunning. Running should be fun. It shouldn't hurt and if you pace yourself in every way, it's good advice for life. Especially since we get sidetracked and you know, have to climb up and sideways just to deal with family and work.

If you pace yourself, you will make it to the finish line. That means when that gun goes off, you don't start sprinting like everyone else is.